Funding Announced for More Episodes of Reveal

PRX and The Center for Investigative Reporting have been working on the creation of Reveal for only a year. In that time we and stations have created three pilots with digital assets, won a Peabody Award, and reported original stories of major importance and depth. Station response has been very strong and we’re very grateful and proud about that.

Today, CIR had a series of major announcements about Reveal that we are thrilled to share, especially news about the continuation and growth of Reveal in 2015:

PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Lisa Cohen, lisa@lisacohen.org, 310-395-2544

The Center for Investigative Reporting announces funding commitments of $3.5 million to launch ‘Reveal’CIR invests in new strategy to create national platform for investigative reporting

EMERYVILLE, Calif., July 10, 2014 – The Center for Investigative Reporting announced today that it has received two multiyear grants totaling $3.5 million to launch “Reveal,” the nation’s first investigative public radio show and podcast. “Reveal,” a co-production of CIR and the Public Radio Exchange (PRX), will showcase high-impact investigative stories from CIR and other news outlets through a one-hour radio show, podcasts and an array of multiplatform assets, including text stories, broadcast news segments, online videos and animations, data interactives, live events and more.

The Reva and David Logan Foundation awarded CIR a three-year grant of $3 million for “Reveal,” citing its founders’ commitment to investigative journalism as the “guardian of the public interest.”

“Our family has been deeply involved with CIR and investigative reporting for years, and we believe that this new initiative will be transformational,” said Jonathan Logan, one of five trustees of the foundation and a board member of CIR. “By amplifying the work of CIR and other news organizations, and by creating new collaborations in the public’s interest, ‘Reveal’ will benefit the journalism community at large and, most importantly, will provide the public access to high-quality investigative reporting.”

The Ford Foundation awarded CIR a two-year grant of $500,000 for the show and its accompanying podcast. In awarding the grant, the foundation noted CIR’s commitment to multiplatform journalism, helping other newsrooms localize deeply researched investigative reporting on “Reveal” and engaging the public in seeking solutions to the issues raised by its reports.

“The most exciting thing about the CIR ‘Reveal’ project is the potential to bring high-quality, engaging investigative journalism to entirely new audiences,” said Barbara Raab, program officer of the media and justice initiative at the Ford Foundation. “In addition to groundbreaking national stories, ‘Reveal’ will elevate vital local stories to a national platform. Excellent investigative journalism, especially at the local level, is critical for keeping communities informed.”

The “Reveal” grants leverage ongoing general operating support provided to CIR by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and many other foundations and individual donors.

“The best investigative reporting leads to change that can help individuals and communities,” said Robert J. Rosenthal, CIR’s executive director. “ ‘Reveal’ will be a powerful platform for telling CIR’s stories and a catalyst for collaborations with other news organizations, large and small. Our success will be measured by the impact of the stories on ‘Reveal’ and the ways in which they help the public find solutions to critical issues.”
PRX CEO Jake Shapiro said, “PRX is partnering on ‘Reveal’ because of a clear demand for more investigative reporting, not just from public radio listeners, but from new mobile audiences hungry for meaningful storytelling available on demand.”

CIR and PRX produced three Reveal program pilots starting in September 2013. The first pilot won a George Foster Peabody Award, one of broadcasting’s highest honors, for CIR’s story about how the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs feeds prescription opiate addictions. The pilot episodes featured investigations by CIR, WBEZ/Chicago Public Radio, the Center for Public Integrity, Michigan Radio and St. Louis Public Radio. The third pilot began airing on public radio stations nationwide June 28.

This is the first time in CIR’s 37-year history that it has created its own platform, beyond its website, for consistent and broad distribution of its reporting, as well as that of other media organizations. The initial funding commitments make it possible for CIR and PRX to proceed with the planned launch of “Reveal” as a regularly scheduled public radio program in 2015. Podcast production will begin this summer.

To prepare for the successful launch of “Reveal,” Joaquin Alvarado, CIR’s chief strategy and operations officer since 2012, has been named CEO of CIR and will oversee all operational and business aspects of the organization. Rosenthal, who joined CIR as executive director in 2008, will continue to serve in that role, focusing on editorial strategy and organizational sustainability. Robert Salladay, who has been managing editor since 2009, was named CIR’s new editorial director last week. Christa Scharfenberg, who has been with CIR since 2003, will remain on the senior leadership team as managing director.

“CIR’s board has been deeply involved in and passionate about developing and supporting this key initiative,” said Phil Bronstein, CIR’s executive chair. “ ‘Reveal’ reflects CIR’s core commitment to producing deeply researched investigative stories across all platforms and provides the opportunity to expand the reach and impact of our reporting, while building a direct relationship with our audiences.”

Support for “Reveal” from our collaborators:

Bill Buzenberg, executive director, Center for Public Integrity:
“Public radio needs more high-quality investigative journalism. The Center for Public Integrity is delighted to be a part of this new effort along with CIR and PRX to help fill that programming void, strengthening the public service role of public radio in the process.”

Steve Engelberg, editor-in-chief, ProPublica:
“We’re delighted that ‘Reveal’ is increasing the amount of independent investigative journalism being done for radio. We have a story in the works with CIR for ‘Reveal’ now and hope other such opportunities will arise.”

Tamar Charney, program director, Michigan Radio:
“Michigan Radio was thrilled with the opportunity to partner with CIR and ‘Reveal’ and co-report a story for the third pilot. The partnership allowed us to extend our reporting capacity and bring depth to an important local story. It was a great way to serve our audience and to build on our local and national reputation as a provider of in-depth journalism about important issues facing our communities.”

Margaret Freivogel, editor, St. Louis Public Radio and The Beacon:
“As a metro-focused news organization, we appreciate the chance to share our work with a national audience. What’s happening in Missouri has national significance, and it’s also important for Missourians to understand the national context of our situation. The ‘Reveal’ work helped us convey both.”

For more information about “Reveal,” visit revealradio.org.

About The Center For Investigative Reporting

The Center for Investigative Reporting is the nation’s first independent, multiplatform investigative reporting organization. Devoted to holding powerful interests accountable to the public trust, CIR creatively employs cutting-edge technology and innovative storytelling to reveal injustice, spark change at all levels of society and influence public dialogue on critical issues. CIR produces high-impact reporting across print, video, TV, radio and online platforms and is the recipient of the prestigious MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions, winner of a 2013 Emmy Award and a 2014 George Foster Peabody Award, and a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2012 (for local reporting) and 2013 (for public service).

About PRX (Public Radio Exchange)

PRX is an award-winning nonprofit public media company, harnessing innovative technology to bring compelling stories to millions of people. PRX.org operates public radio’s largest distribution marketplace, offering thousands of audio stories for broadcast and digital use, including “This American Life,” “The Moth Radio Hour,” “Sound Opinions,” “State of the Re:Union,” “Snap Judgment” and “WTF with Marc Maron.” PRX Remix is PRX’s 24/7 channel featuring the best independent radio stories and new voices. PRX is also the leading mobile app developer for public media, with apps such as Public Radio Player, Radiolab, This American Life, WBUR, KCRW Music Mine and more.